Tuesday, September 20, 2005

MLS Records to look out for (updated)

First of all, even though their season is dead, Chivas USA still has something to play for. They need 3 points in their final four games to avoid becoming the worst team in MLS history, curently the 2001 Tampa Bay Mutiny. The Mutiny's adjusted points per game (APPG) was 0.52. Adjusted simply means that I count shootouts as draws. The 1999 Metros' APPG was 0.63.

1) No team has finished a season undefeated at home (regular season only). San Jose is now only 3 games away from becoming the first. They have Chicago, Dallas, and RSL to go.

2) One of RSL and Chivas will almost certainly go down with the worst away record. The mark to beat is the 1999 Wizards, at 0.38 APPG. To beat that, RSL needs 6 points in its final three away games (COL, COL, SJ), and Chivas needs 4 points in its last two away games (CLB, COL).

3) The record for most seasons in a row with a decrease in average attendance is 3, shared by the 1997-99 Metrostars and the 1998-2000 Revolution. Colorado and New England are both still on track to match that. The Rapids are over a thousand behind last year's average, but the Revs have a decent shot at beating last year, only 26 fans per game behind.

4) Jeff Cunningham (11 goals) has not scored in the past month, meaning that Colorado's paltry goal scoring record may stand. The record is 14 by John Spencer (twice), so he needs 4 goals in the final six games. They do have an easy schedule.

5) The Metros are still on track to become the first team to miss the playoffs with a positive goal differential (+5).

6) Colorado (currently -3) has never had a positive goal differential for a season. They should finish with one thanks to that easy schedule I already mentioned.

Also, thanks to Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl for naming Climbing the Ladder as one of the top US soccer blogs!

Some of that is pretty troubling. The worst has to be #6. It doesn't help them any this year that they play the most boring, negative soccer in all of MLS (see match against United for proof). While Clavijo is supposed to be a nice guy, I wouldn't shed a tear if he was fired. John Harkes might not make for a great coach, and he may not even turn Colorado's on-the-field performances around, but at least he'd inject some life into the team and play to win.